Storage network system, managing apparatus, managing method and program

ABSTRACT

A storage network system includes computers, storage systems, connection devices that control connection relations between the computers and the storage system, and a managing device that manages the computers, the storage system and the connection devices. The managing device includes a control section that specifies connection ports of the computers, the storage system and the connection devices that compose the storage network system. Further, the control device of the managing device displays on a display section a data traffic amount at each of the connection ports for each connection path from the computer to the storage system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a storage managing system, and moreparticularly to a storage managing system that has a function to assistin identifying bottleneck sections in a storage system.

2. Related Background Art

A conventional storage managing system is capable of indicatingconnection relations among devices in a storage system on a managementmonitor screen. Also, the storage managing system is capable ofdisplaying the data traffic amount of each of the devices displayed onthe management monitor screen in the unit of connection ports or in theunit of individual devices.

The aforementioned conventional storage managing system does not displayon the management monitor screen the data traffic amount of each of thedevices in terms of connection relation among the devices in the storagesystem. Accordingly, when a bottleneck section in the storage system isto be specified, an administrator initially needs to select ports to bereferred to on the management monitor screen that displays theconnection relations among the devices, and then refer to the datatraffic amount of each of the connection ports of the devices on thestorage system to locate the bottleneck section. For this reason, itneeds an excessively long time and much work for the administrator tospecify the bottleneck section.

After having specified the bottleneck in the storage system, theadministrator first needs to refer to the management monitor screen thatindicates the connection relations among the devices, then refer to thedata traffic amount of each of the connection ports of the devices onthe storage system, judges himself a new path to be selected to solvethe bottleneck, and execute a path switching processing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to assisting network administrators inspecifying bottleneck sections occurred in a storage system.

The present invention also relates to assisting network administratorsin switching paths to solve bottleneck sections in a storage system.

An embodiment of the present invention pertains to a storage networksystem that includes at least a computer, a storage system, a connectiondevice that controls a connection relation between the computer and thestorage system, and a managing device that manages the computer, thestorage system and the connection device. The storage network system,and more preferably the managing device may have a control section thatspecify connection ports of the computer, the storage system and theconnection device that compose the storage network system. Further, thecontrol device of the managing device may display on a display section adata traffic amount at each connection port for each connection pathfrom the connection port in the computer to the connection port in thestorage system.

In the storage network system in accordance with the embodimentdescribed above, the control section of the managing device maypreferably measure the access time from the computer to each of theconnection ports of the connection device and/or the storage system andthe data traffic amount at each of the connection ports, specify any ofthe connection ports at which the access time and the data trafficamount are synchronized with each other, and display the data trafficamount of the specified connection port on the display section in amanner distinguishable from the other connection ports.

Furthermore, in accordance with another embodiment of the presentinvention, the control section of the managing device may preferablymeasure the access time for each connection path from the connectionport in the computer to the connection port in the storage system, andspecify connection ports in the computer, the storage system and theconnection device on a specified one of the connection paths when theaccess time on the specified connection path exceeds a specifiedallowable time range. Also, the control section of the managing devicemay preferably display the data traffic amount for each of theconnection ports on the display section.

In the embodiment described above, when the data traffic amount for anyof the connection ports displayed on the display section exceeds apredetermined reference value, the control section of the managingdevice may preferably judge that the connection port is overloaded, anddisplay on the display section that the connection port is overloaded.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, thecontrol section of the managing device may preferably specify thecomputer, the storage system or the connection device that compose thestorage network system, and display on the display section the datatraffic amount for each connection path from the computer to the storagesystem for each of the computer, the storage system and the connectiondevice.

In accordance with the embodiment described above, the control sectionof the managing device may preferably judge that the computer, thestorage system or the connection device is overloaded when the datatraffic amount for each of the computer, the storage system or theconnection device displayed on the display section exceeds apredetermined reference value, and may preferably indicate on thedisplay section that the computer, the storage system or the connectiondevice is overloaded.

Furthermore, the control section of the managing device may preferablyspecify another connection path that is shared by the connection portthat is determined to be overloaded, and display on the display sectionthe data traffic amount for each connection port on the other connectionpath.

Moreover, the control section of the managing device may preferablyspecify another connection path that is shared by the storage system orthe connection device that is determined to be overloaded, and displayon the display section the data traffic amount of the computer, thestorage system or the connection device on the other connection path.

Also, in the embodiment described above, a connection path between atleast two connection devices or a connection path between at least acomputer and a storage system may preferably be shared by an access pathto a plurality of computers and a plurality of storage systems.

Further, in the embodiment described above, the control section of themanaging device may preferably judge, when the data traffic amount at aconnection port of the connection device displayed on the displaysection exceeds a specified reference value, that the connection deviceis overloaded, generate a control signal for switching paths toeliminate the overload according to the data traffic amount for eachconnection port, and transmit the control signal through an interface tothe connection device or the storage system that composes the storagenetwork system.

Also, in the embodiment described above, the control section of themanaging device may preferably judge, when the data traffic amount at aconnection port of the storage system displayed on the display sectionexceeds a specified reference value, that the storage system isoverloaded, generate a copy control signal for copying data stored inthe storage system onto another storage system to eliminate the overloadaccording to the data traffic amount for each connection port, andtransmit the copy control signal through an interface to the storagesystem or the connection device.

Moreover, the control section of the managing device may preferablygenerate an access control signal for switching the access from thestorage system that is determined to be overloaded to the other storagesystem that stores the copied data, and transmit the access controlsignal through an interface to the connection device and the storagesystem or the connection device.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings that illustrate, by way of example, variousfeatures of embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically shows a system structure of a storage managingsystem.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a structure of a storage system.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a hardware structure of each computer.

FIG. 4 shows a networking concept of a storage managing system.

FIG. 5 shows a networking concept of a storage managing system.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of a procedure to search a bottleneck section.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of a procedure to search a bottleneck section.

FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a procedure to switch paths for leveling offthe load.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of a procedure to switch physical disk volumesfor leveling off the load.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a managing screen image for searching abottleneck section.

FIG. 11 shows an example of a managing screen image for searching abottleneck section.

FIGS. 12( a), 12(b) and 12(c) show tables of data structures in amanaging information database.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a system structure of a storage network system inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As indicated in FIG. 1, in the storage network system in accordance withthe present embodiment, a managing computer (101) collects managementinformation from a storage system (102) to be managed, and conducts astorage management of the management information. The managing computer(101) also provides setting instructions including switching of accesspaths to equipments that are to be managed. The managing computer (101)may be composed of a management target composing information collectionfunction (109) that collects information concerning attributeinformation of each device and connection relation among devices from atarget system to be managed, a traffic information collection function(110) that collects information of data traffic amount of eachconnection port of each equipment, a managing information database 106that stores and manages the collected management target composinginformation and traffic information, a bottleneck analyzing function(105) that searches a performance bottleneck section based on themanagement information, a path switching judging function (103) thatsets an appropriate switching method for leveling off the load for thebottleneck section, and a path switching function (105′) that instructstarget equipments to be managed to switch the paths. The target storagesystem to be managed is equipped with management agents (114), (115) and(116) at corresponding equipments. Each of the management agents at eachequipment responds to requests from the managing computer (101) withmanagement information designated by the managing computer (101) andexecutes changes of compositions as instructed by the managing computer(101).

FIG. 2 shows a system composition of the managing computer (201) and atarget storage system to be managed in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present invention. It is noted that the number of equipments such ascomputers, switches and the like shown in the drawing may notnecessarily limited to those shown in the drawing. The managing computer(201) connects to a computer A (202) and a computer B (203). Thecomputer A (202) includes access ports CA1 and CA2 for accessing tostorage apparatuses, and the computer B (203) includes an access portCB1 for accessing to storage apparatuses. A switch A (204) includes anaccess port SA1 from the computer A, and an access port SA2 to a storageapparatus A (207). A switch B (205) includes an access port SBl from thecomputer A, an access port SB2 to the storage apparatus A and an accessport SB3 to a storage apparatus B (208). A switch C (206) includes anaccess port SC1, an access port SC2 to the storage apparatus A and anaccess port SC3 to the storage apparatus B. The storage apparatus A(207) includes an access port STA1 from the switch A and the switch B,an access port STA2 from the switch C. The storage apparatus B (208)includes an access port STB1 from the switch B and an access port STB2from the switch C. The storage apparatus A is composed of physical disksA1 (209) and A2 (210), which are assigned volume 1 (213) and volume 2(214), respectively, that are logical access units as viewed from thecomputers. The volume 1 (213) and volume 2 (214) are correlated with theaccess ports STA1 and STA2, respectively. Similarly, the storageapparatus B is composed of physical disks B1 (211) and B2 (212), whichare assigned volume 3 (215) and volume 4 (216), respectively, that arelogical access units as viewed from the computers. The physical disks B1(211) and B2 (212) are correlated with the access ports STB1 and STB2,respectively. By the structure described above, accesses can be madefrom the port CA1 of the computer A through the switch A to the volume 1on the storage apparatus A; and accesses can be made from the port CA2of the computer A through the switch B to the volume 1 on the storageapparatus A and through the switch B to the volume 3 on the storageapparatus B. Also, accesses can be made from the port CB1 of thecomputer B through the switch C to the volume 2 on the storage apparatusA and through the switch C to the volume 4 on the storage apparatus B.The managing computer has communication paths that enable directcommunication to all of the equipments. The communication paths arestructured such that management information can be collected fromequipments in the system and composition settings can be made to theequipments through the communication paths.

FIG. 3 shows a structure of the managing computer in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

The managing computer (201), which may be composed of a computer, isequipped with a central processing unit (302) that executes commandssuch as operations, a main storage apparatus (301) that stores datanecessary for the operations, a network control apparatus (303) thatcontrols input/output of data with a communication line (305) and alocal area network (304), a display apparatus (308), and a displaycontrol apparatus (309) that controls input/output of data to bedisplayed by the display apparatus (308).

The central processing unit (302) executes programs loaded on the mainstorage apparatus (301). Programs that are loaded on the main storageapparatus (301) may be stored in a disk recording apparatus (306) inadvance, loaded on the main storage apparatus (301) as necessary, andexecuted by the central processing unit (302). Alternatively, a portablytype storage medium not shown in the drawings, such as, for example, aCD-ROM may be used to store the programs. The programs stored on thestorage medium may be read out by a disk recording media reading devicethat may be portable, which is omitted from the drawings, directlyloaded on the main storage apparatus (301) as necessary, and executed bythe central processing unit (302). Or, the programs stored on thestorage medium may be read out by the disk recording media readingdevice, installed on the disk recording apparatus (306), loaded on themain storage apparatus (301) as necessary, and executed by the centralprocessing unit (302).

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 6, an analysis procedure performed by thebottleneck analyzing function of the managing computer is describedbelow.

The procedure starts with an event (601) in which, at the port CA2 ofthe computer A, the access time to the storage apparatuses exceeds apredetermined allowable range. Here, connection ports that can beaccessed from the port CA2 at this moment include the ports SB1, SB2 andSB3 of the switch B, the port STA1 of the storage apparatus A, and theport STB1 of the storage apparatus B (which corresponds to an areasurrounded by a dotted line in FIG. 4). Also, the port CA2 eventuallyaccess the volume 1 on the storage apparatus A and the volume 3 on thestorage apparatus B.

Information concerning connecting relation among the apparatuses arecollected in advance from the management agents of the respectiveapparatuses by the management target composing information collectionfunction on the managing computer shown in FIG. 1. The collectedinformation is stored in the management data base and managed, and thebottleneck analyzing function refers to the information when theanalysis procedure is executed (602).

The bottleneck analyzing function refers to the management database, anddisplays data traffic amounts of the ports listed, and accessing loadsto the physical disks within the storage apparatuses in a format shownin FIG. 10, for example, (603) and (604). In the illustrated exampleshown in FIG. 10, it is understood that there is no problem in the datatraffic amount at each port, but accesses are concentrated on thephysical disk A1 in the storage apparatus. It is noted that themanagement target composing information collection function on themanaging computer may periodically collect the data traffic amountinformation and load information from the management agents of therespective apparatuses, and store and manage them on the managementdatabase; and the bottleneck analyzing function can refer to them whenthe analysis procedure is executed.

Next, referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, a procedure to search a connectionpath starting from one of volumes that share the physical disk andleading to a computer that uses these volumes is described.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the volume 2 is selected as a volume thatshares the physical disk A1, and a connection path starting from theaccess port STA2 to this volume is searched (701) and (702). A port thataccesses to the port STA2 is the port SC2 of the switch C, and the portSC2 is accessed from the port CB1 of the computer B through the port SC1of the switch C (which corresponds to an area surrounded by a dottedline in FIG. 5). In a similar manner to the procedure shown in FIG. 6,the data traffic amount of each of the ports is displayed in a list. Anexample of the search result is shown in FIG. 10. By this, it isunderstood that the data traffic from the port CB1 of the computer B isheavy, and this consequently pushes up the access load to the physicaldisk Al of the storage apparatus A.

The display monitor screens (1001) displayed by the bottleneck analyzingfunction in FIGS. 10 and 11 show the data traffics at the respectiveports on the connection path in a list (1002), and also show time wisechanges of the data traffics in a graph (1003) together with theinformation of the multiple ports.

FIGS. 12( a), 12(b) and 12(c) show examples of tables of the managementdatabase and their data that are used by the bottleneck analyzingfunction. FIG. 12( a) shows a table (1201) that manages the compositioninformation about target equipments to be managed, which is used tomanage information for apparatuses (nodes) and ports on the apparatuses,and destination ports that are connected. Connection relations among theapparatuses can be created based on this information. FIG. 12( b) showsa table (1202) that manages data traffic amounts of the respectiveports. The data traffic amounts may be managed by a variety of methods.For example, the data traffic amounts may be managed with values such aspast values, average values for a predetermined period of time, or thelike. Or, for example, the data traffic amounts may be managed bysuccessively storing values as is that are periodically collected. Thegraphs displayed in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 need the latter data managementmethod. FIG. 12( c) shows a table (1203) that manages relations betweenports on the storage apparatuses, physical disks and volumes.

As a method for further tracking down a bottleneck factor in thebottleneck analysis procedure indicated in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a methodthat uses synchronization of a matrix can be applied. By utilizingmultiple regression analysis, for example, data traffic at a port thathas the highest synchronization with changes of access time from theconnection port on the computer to the storage apparatus and accessloads to the storage apparatus can be listed up in the order ofpriority.

By applying the bottleneck analysis procedure described above, necessaryinformation can be checked in a table, as compared to a conventionalmethod in which the data traffic at each of the apparatuses isindividually checked by an administrator. Accordingly, problems can bemore quickly discovered, and the work load to administrators can bealleviated.

Next, an example of a processing procedure of the switching judgingfunction, which is aiming at leveling off the load on the storagesystem, is described with reference to FIG. 8.

First, when a port on an access path to the storage apparatus isoverloaded, the following procedure is performed. The procedure includesdisplaying a list of the access paths through other switches to the samevolume on the storage apparatus from a port on the same computerdifferent from the port whose access time exceeds a predetermined limit,and displaying data traffics on the respective access paths (801).

The administrator refers to the data traffic amounts, and selects one ofthe access paths from the list of the access paths (802).

The data traffic amount on the access path before switching is added tothe one on the selected path, and then data traffic at each of the portson the access path is displayed (803).

If any of the ports exceeds a predetermined traffic amount, anotheraccess path is selected, and the procedure from 803 is repeated. If thisdoes not happen, the access path is selected, and a switchinginstruction to switch the ports is given through the path switchingfunction of the computer (805). The computer that receives the switchinginstruction switches the port and can now access to the storageapparatus through an access path corresponding to the switched port. Fora zone setting, a switching instruction to a connection apparatus(switches) may be needed.

Next, when the access load to a physical disk on a storage apparatus isbecomes excessive, the following procedure is performed.

The path switching judging function instructs the storage apparatusthrough the path switching function a switching that designates anoverloaded volume. A copy of the volume is created on another physicaldisk that is light on access load and has a room for storage (901).

The physical disk on the storage apparatus that is accessed by thevolume is changed to the copy destination (902). In this procedure, theswitching can be made without changing the access ports to the storageapparatus as viewed externally. For a zone setting, a switchinginstruction to a connection apparatus (switches) may be needed.

By using the path switching judging function, the administrator cannavigate through switching methods according to the bottleneck section,and can readily take an appropriate procedure, which reduces the workload on the administrator.

In accordance with the present invention, a possible bottleneck sectioncan be automatically pointed out based on the structure of the storagesystem, and therefore the problem can be quickly found. Also, after abottleneck section is discovered, an appropriate switching procedure canbe readily started according to the bottleneck section, such that theoperation load on the storage system can be reduced.

While the description above refers to particular embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be understood that many modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claimsare intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the truescope and spirit of the present invention.

The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered inall respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than theforegoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning andrange of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embracedtherein.

1. A storage network system comprising: a computer; a storage system; aswitch device, coupled to the computer and the storage system, theswitch device controlling a data transfer between the computer and thestorage system; and a management device coupled to the computer, thestorage system and the switch device and managing thereof, wherein themanagement device comprises: a memory that stores access pathinformation that indicates an access path including a set of connectingports used by the computer for accessing from the computer to thestorage system via the switch device; a control section that specifies afirst connecting port of the computer, a second connecting port of theswitch device and a third connecting port of the storage system, thefirst, second and third connecting ports being included in the set ofconnecting ports of the access path, based on the access pathinformation a display section coupled to the control section, whereinthe control section outputs to the display section so that the displaysection displays data of a traffic amount of the first, second and thirdconnecting ports.
 2. A storage network system according to claim 1,wherein the access path information includes destination informationthat indicates a destination storage area in the storage system of theaccess path, wherein the control section specifies the destinationstorage area based on the destination information, and wherein thecontrol section outputs data of a traffic amount of the destinationstorage area to the display section.
 3. A storage network systemaccording to claim 2, wherein the control section measures access timefor the access path between the computer and the destination storagearea of the storage system, and when the access time via the access pathexceeds a predetermined permissible time range, the control sectionoutputs to the display section so that display section displays the dataof the traffic amount of the first, second and third connecting portsand the destination storage area.
 4. A storage network system accordingto claim 3, wherein, when the traffic amount of at least one connectingport of the access path or the destination storage area exceeds apredetermined reference value, the control section judges whether the atleast one connecting port or the destination storage area is overloaded,and outputs a signal so that the display section displays the at leastone connecting port or the destination storage area that is overloaded.5. A storage network system according to claim 4, wherein the controlsection specifies a second access path that shares the at least oneconnecting port or the destination storage area, that is determined tobe overloaded, with the access path, and the display section displaysdata of a traffic amount of connecting ports which are included in thesecond access path.
 6. A storage network system according to claim 2,wherein the control section measures access time from the firstconnecting port of the computer to the second connecting port of theswitch device, the third connecting port of the storage system and thedestination storage area, specifies at least one connecting port of theaccess path or the destination storage area at which the access time isin synchronism with the data of the traffic amount of the first, secondor third connecting port or the destination storage area, and whereinthe display section displays data of an access amount at the specifiedconnecting port or the destination storage area in a manner to bediscriminated from other of the set of connecting ports and thedestination storage area.
 7. A storage network system according to claim6, wherein the control section judges that the switch device isoverloaded if the data traffic amount of the second connecting port ofthe switch device displayed on the display section exceeds a specifiedreference value, generates a control signal for switching the accesspath to eliminate the overload according to traffic amount of the set ofthe connecting ports of the access path and the destination storagedevice, and transmits the control signal to the switch device.
 8. Astorage network system according to claim 6, wherein the control sectionjudges that the switch device is overloaded if the traffic amount of thesecond connecting port of the switch device displayed on the displaysection exceeds a specified reference value, generates a copy controlsignal for copying data stored in the destination storage area of thestorage system onto an another storage system to eliminate the overloadaccording to traffic amount of the set of the connecting ports of theaccess path and the destination storage area, and transmits the copycontrol signal to the storage system.
 9. A storage network systemaccording to claim 8, wherein the control section generates an accesscontrol signal for switching an access from the destination storage areaof the storage system to the other storage system that stores the copieddata, and transmits the access control signal to the switch device. 10.A storage network system according to claim 1, wherein the access pathinformation includes destination information that indicates adestination volume in the storage system of the access path, wherein thecontrol section specifies a disk drive of the destination volume, andwherein the control section outputs data of a traffic amount of the diskdrive of the destination volume to the display section.
 11. A managingdevice that manages a computer, a storage system and a data transferdevice, coupled to the computer and the storage system, that controls adata transfer between the computer and the storage system, the managingdevice comprising: a memory that stores access path information whichindicates an access path, from the computer to the storage system viathe data transfer device, which includes connecting ports; a controlsection that specifies a first connecting port of the connecting portsof the access path in the computer, a second connecting port of theconnecting ports of the access path in the data transfer device and athird connecting port of the connecting ports of the access path in thedata transfer device based on the access path information; and a displaysection that is controlled by the control section to display data oftraffic amount at each of the connecting ports of the access path fromthe first connecting port in the computer to the third connecting portin the storage system via the second connecting port of the datatransfer device.
 12. A storage network management method for managing acomputer, a storage system and a switch device, coupled to the computerand the storage system, that controls a data transfer between thecomputer and the storage system, the storage network management methodcomprising: storing access path information which indicates an accesspath used by the computer for accessing from the computer to the storagesystem via the switch device and including connecting ports; specifyingthe access path, a first connecting port of the connecting ports of theaccess path in the computer, a second connecting port of the connectingports of the access path in the switch device and a third connectingport of the connecting ports of the access path in the storage system;and displaying on a display section data of a traffic amount at each ofthe connecting ports of the access path from the first connecting portin the computer to the third connecting port in the storage system viathe second connecting port of the switch device.
 13. A program stored ona computer readable medium for executing a storage network managementfor a computer, a storage network managemnt for a computer, a storagesystem and a data transfer device, coupled to the computer and thestorage system, that controls a data transfer between the computer andthe storage system, program comprising: storing access path informationwhich indicates an access path used by the computer for accessing fromthe computer to the storage system; specifying the access path, a firstconnecting port, which is included in the access path, in the computer,a second connecting port, which is included in the access path, in thedata transfer device, a third connecting port, which is included in theaccess path, in the storage system, and a volume which is a destinationof the access path based on the access path information; and displayingon a display section data of a traffic amount at the first, second andthird connecting ports of the access path from the first connecting portin the computer to the third connecting pod in the storage system anddata of a traffic amount at the volume.
 14. A computer readable mediumthat stores a program for executing a storage network management for acomputer, a storage system and a switch device, coupled to the computerand the storage system, that controls a data transfer between thecomputer and the storage system, wherein the program stored in thecomputer readable medium comprises: specifying a first connecting pod inthe computer, a second connecting port in the switch device and a thirdconnecting port in the storage system, the first, second and thirdconnecting ports comprising an access path from the computer to thestorage system via the switch device by using the computer; anddisplaying on a display section data of a traffic amount at the first,second and third connecting pods of the access path from the firstconnecting port in the computer to the third connecting port in thestorage system.
 15. A system comprising: a computer; a storage system; adata transfer device, coupled to the computer and the storage system,the data transfer device controlling a data transfer between thecomputer and the storage system; and a management device coupled to andmanaging the computer, the storage system and the data transfer device,wherein the management device comprises: a memory that stores accesspath information that indicates an access path including a set ofconnecting ports used by the computer for accessing from the computer tothe storage system via the data transfer device and a volume, related toa plurality of physical disk drives in the storage system, that isobject to access for the computer by using the access path; a controlsection that specifies a first connecting port of the computer, a secondconnecting port of the data transfer device, a third connecting port ofthe storage system, and a physical disk drive of the plurality ofphysical disk drives related to the volume based on the access pathinformation, the first, second and third connecting ports being includedin the set of connecting ports of the access path; and a display sectioncoupled to the control section, wherein the control section outputs dataof a traffic amount of the first, second and third connecting ports andthe physical disk drive to the display section.
 16. A system accordingto claim 15, wherein, when the traffic amount of at least one connectingport or the physical disk drive exceeds a predetermined reference value,the control section judges whether the at least one connecting port orthe physical disk drive is overloaded, and outputs a signal so that thedisplay section displays the at least one connecting port or thephysical disk drive that is overloaded.
 17. A system according to claim16, wherein the control section specifies a second access path thatshares the physical disk drive, that is determined to be overloaded,with the access path, and the display section displays data of a trafficamount of connecting ports which are included in the second access path.18. A system comprising: a computer; a storage system; a switch device,coupled to the computer and the storage system, the switch devicecontrolling a data transfer between the computer and the storage system;and a management computer coupled to the computer, the storage systemand the switch device and managing thereof, wherein the managementcomputer comprises: a memory that stores access path information thatindicates an access path including a set of connecting ports used by thecomputer for accessing from the computer to the storage system via theswitch device; a control section that gathers data of a traffic amountof a first connecting port of the computer, a second connecting port ofthe switch device and a third connecting port of the storage system, thefirst, second and third connecting ports being included in the set ofconnecting ports of the access path, a display section coupled to thecontrol section, wherein the control section outputs to the displaysection so that the display section displays the data of the trafficamount of the first, second and third connecting ports.
 19. A systemaccording to claim 18, wherein the access path information includesdestination information that indicates a destination storage area in thestorage system of the access path, wherein the control section gathersdata of a traffic amount of the destination storage area, and whereinthe control section outputs the data of the traffic amount of thedestination storage area to the display section.
 20. A system accordingto claim 19, wherein the control section measures access time for theaccess path between the computer and the destination storage area of thestorage system, and when the access time via the access path exceeds apredetermined permissible time range, the control section outputs to thedisplay section so that display section displays the data of the trafficamount at the first, second and third connecting ports and thedestination storage area.
 21. A system according to claim 20, wherein,when the traffic amount of at least one connecting port of the accesspath or the destination storage area exceeds a predetermined referencevalue, the control section judges whether the at least one connectingport or the destination storage area is overloaded, and outputs a signalso that the display section displays the at least one connecting port orthe destination storage area that is overloaded.
 22. A system accordingto claim 18, wherein the control section specifies a second access paththat shares the at least one connecting port or the destination storagearea, that is determined to be overloaded, with the access path, and thedisplay section displays data of a traffic amount of connecting portswhich are included in the second access path.
 23. A system according toclaim 21, wherein the control section specifies a second access paththat shares the at least one connecting port or the destination storagearea, that is determined to be overloaded, with the access path, and thedisplay section displays data of a traffic amount of connecting portswhich are included in the second access path.
 24. A system according toclaim 19, wherein the control section measures access time from thefirst connecting port of the computer to the second connecting port ofthe switch device, the third connecting port of the storage system andthe destination storage area, specifies at least one connecting port ofthe access path or the storage area in the set of connecting ports andthe destination storage area at which the access time is in synchronismwith the data of the traffic amount of the first, second or thirdconnecting port or the destination storage area, and wherein the displaysection displays data of an access amount at the specified connectingport or the destination storage area in a manner to be discriminatedfrom other of the set of connecting ports and the destination storagearea.
 25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the control sectionjudges that the switch device is overloaded if the traffic amount of thesecond connecting port of the switch device displayed on the displaysection exceeds a specified reference value, generates a copy controlsignal for copying data stored in the destination storage area of thestorage system onto an another storage system to eliminate the overloadaccording to a traffic amount at the set of the connecting ports of theaccess path and the destination storage device, and transmits thecontrol signal to the switch device.
 26. A system according to claim 24,wherein the control section judges that the switch device is overloadedif the traffic amount of the second connecting port of the switch devicedisplayed on the display section exceeds a specified reference value,generates a copy control signal for copying data stored in thedestination storage area of the storage system onto an another storagesystem to eliminate the overload according to a traffic amount at theset of the connecting ports of the access path and the destinationstorage area, and transmits the copy control signal to the storagesystem.
 27. A system according to claim 26, wherein the control sectiongenerates an access control signal for switching an access from thedestination storage area of the storage system to the other storagesystem that stores the copied data, and transmits the access controlsignal to the switch device.